Theories of Motivation

Motivation

The individual and internal process that directs, energises and sustains a persons behaviour

Need

Personal Requirement

Motivational Theories (3)

- Maslow's Hierarchy of needs
- Goal Setting Theory (Locke and Latham)
- Four Drive Theory (Lawrence and Nohria)

What does high motivation result in

Increased productivity and better meeting business objectives

What does Maslow's hierarchy of needs state

- Human needs are arranged in a 5-level hierarchy, where people begin at the lowest level of needs
- Once each level of needs is fulfilled, these factors will no longer motivate staff, rather newer needs will emerge.

Tiers of Maslow's hierarchy and how they relate to a business (Need to get them in order)

- Physiological (Satisfactory remuneration)
- Safety (Safe working conditions, Job Security)
- Social (Teamwork, friends, support)
- Esteem (Responsibilities, Recognition, Promotions)
- Self-actualisation (Creativity, opportunities to advance)

Strengths of Maslow's hierarchy of needs

- Allows HR to develop an understanding of everyone’s needs - implement relevant strategies
- offers a clear, step-by-step framework for motivating employees -

Weaknesses of Maslow's hierarchy of needs (2)

- Assumes fixed order of needs - some may prioritise esteem/higher needs
- May be difficult to identify what tier employees are at, with strategies may not being effective as the need has already been satisfied

What does Locke and Latham's Goal setting theory states (2)

- People are more motivated and perform better when they are aspiring toward and are able to achieve a goal
- A goal needs to adhere to the five principles

5 principles of Locke and Latham's Goal setting

- Clarity (Simple, clear and specific goals that are measurable)
- Challenge (Not too challenging, not too easy)
- Commitment (More input employees have, the more motivated they are)
- Complexity (Straightforward and allow employee skills to develop)
- Feedback (Offering recognition for progress and outlines expectations)

Strengths of Locke and Latham's Goal Setting Theory

- Employees see goals as their responsibility and will be motivated to achieve them
- Easy to implement into all goals

Weaknesses of Locke and Latham's Goal Setting Theory (3)

- Employees may focus only on their goal and ignore all other responsibilities
- Failing to meet a goal is demotivating for an employee
- Time consuming to apply to every business goal

The Four Drives Theory (2)

- There are four main drives that shape the way all humans think and behave
- The drive to acquire, bond and learn are active drives, while the drive to defend is only active in face of threat.

What are the Four Drives

- Drive to Acquire (The desire for non-material things)
- Drive to Bond (Evoking a sense of belonging in the business)
- Drive to Learn (The need to understand the world around us, be challenged and faced with interesting and varied experiences)
- Drive to Defend (Motivation comes from removing fears and insecurities from the workplace)

Strengths of the Four Drive Theory

- The drives work independently, allowing management and employees to be flexible in behaviours or strategies implemented
- Four drives are easily adaptable to different business scenarios

Weaknesses of the Four Drive Theory

- Other drives exist and the theory does not outline all aspects that motivate people
- Not all employees are equally driven by the same drives - poor use of resources
- Lacks a clear sequence - harder to prioritise what drives